On Sunday, January 12, 1806, a tragic accident occurred on Mary Street, highlighting the grave dangers posed by neglected and dilapidated buildings in Limerick. The incident happened around three o’clock in the afternoon when the front wall of an old house collapsed, burying Mr. Owen O’Keeffe, a shopkeeper from Broad Street, who was passing through Mary Street at the time. Sadly, Mr. O’Keeffe did not survive the accident. Another man, Timothy McDaniel, a carpenter from Park, was also injured in the collapse, though early reports that he had broken his thighs were later proven to be unfounded.
The untimely death of Mr. O’Keeffe was a significant loss to the community. The Saunder’s Newsletter, 18 January 1806, noted that O’Keeffe was a man “of the fairest character, punctual, and exact in his dealings.” As a father of a large family, his sudden and unexpected passing left his affairs in disarray, creating additional distress for his loved ones. In a time before social welfare, the lost of the single breadwinner lead to possible destitution for his wife and children.
This tragic event underscored the serious threat posed by many other buildings in a similar state of disrepair throughout the city. Several houses were identified as being in a “tottering situation,” posing a risk of imminent collapse and threatening the lives of those who pass by.
Among the most dangerous structures, the following were highlighted in the Limerick Gazette 14 January 1806:
- A small house at the corner of Baal’s Bridge, which not only obstructs the passage but is also a public nuisance.
- A dismantled house next to Mr. Thomas Heoy, cabinetmaker, on Mary Street, where the most hazardous section is still standing.
- A house covering three stalls in Meat Market Lane, which locals avoid by taking alternate routes, but visitors are unaware of the danger.
- A house next to the old Jail on Mary Street.
- A house next to Mr. Storey’s on John Street.
- A house in West Watergate, opposite the rear of the Assembly House, sheltering several poor individuals.
- Two or three houses in Castle Street.
- A house opposite the new Corn Market.
- A house opposite Mr. Thomas Lunham’s, the coach maker, on Mungret Street.
- The house in which Mr. William Carroll, a chandler, lived until a short time before the accident.
- The bulk near the Hide and Skin Crane on George’s Quay. (Two years later, Daniel O’Connor was appointed as the inspector of the Hide and Skin Crane by the Limerick Chamber of Commerce)
In addition to these specific buildings, there were many others, both on the main streets and in the back lanes of the city, that are in similarly dangerous conditions. These hazards were “too tedious to mention” individually by the Limerick Gazette, but their threat to public safety is undeniable.
Another significant concern raised is the unprotected gates of the city’s quays, which lacked parapets. It is suggested that strong posts and chains, similar to those used in Liverpool and other trading cities in England, be erected to protect against potential accidents.
The editor of the Limerick Gazette called on the Chief Magistrate to take swift action to prevent such fatal and deplorable incidents from occurring in the future. Sadly, this was not the last time a collapsing building caused a death in the city.
While some buildings fell due to general deterioration and a lack of maintenance, others had a little nudge, like The great gunpowder explosion of 1837 which was the first major collapse of the Newtownpery.